Sofia Valdez, Future Prez

Sofia was a baby who got things done, helping her family before she turned one. She and Abuelo went out every week to help elderly friends around Blue River Creek who couldn’t get out and about on their own and with no place to gather, were stuck home alone. Raking the leaves, taking pets for a walk, or just dropping by for a treat and a talk, Sofia Valdez did as much as she could for her family and friends and her whole neighborhood. A dreamer. A doer. A real-life go-getter. Most people like good, but Sofia liked better. Each morning, Abuelo walked Sofi to class. They walked home again along Blue River Pass. Making plans. Munching cookies. Abuelo and girl… except for that Tuesday when pup saw the squirrel!  With a howl, Pup took off, racing all through the town- Over! Under! Beneath! And around! Sophia scrambled to try to keep up with the hollering man and the bellowing pup. Up the squirrel ran to the top of a hill made of leftover junk for the local landfill. They reached the tip-top of that mountain of trash which jiggled and broke with an earsplitting CRASH! Down they all tumbled and hit with a THUD on a moldy old pumpkin surrounded by mud. “Ouch!” cried Abuelo. He struggled to stand. “A dangerous mess!” he said, grasping her hand. The next day Sofia walked to school solo, but it wasn’t the same without her Abuelo. “This is not right!” declared young Sofia, who glared at Mount Trashmore and got an idea.